But the talented wheelchair basketball player, 20, can only stand with the aid of sticks.

One of Troy Hitchins' friends captured the moment the wheelchair athlete was carried out of the upstairs bar at The Kings Head on Hagley Road for being a 'safety hazard'

“Would they have said to a blind person, ‘you can stay if you can see’?” said the student, who suffers from cerebral palsy.

Troy - a member of the Birmingham Black Cats basketball team - still cringes at the memory of security staff carrying him down two flights of stairs on Saturday night after being told a broken lift meant his presence breached health and safety regulations.

The moment was captured by one of his friends on a mobile phone camera.

Wheelchair basketball player Troy Hitchins

Yet Troy wants to know why staff allowed friends to carry him up the two flights of stairs to the venue’s music room.

After receiving a complaint from a relative, the pub was quick to apologise to Troy on its Facebook site, but stressed the action was taken in the best interests of Troy and his party.

General manager Richard Perry also pointed out the group were informed they could use the ground floor bar and did.

Troy and his family want a personal apology. He said: “I felt embarrassed, I felt really embarrassed when door staff carried me down the stairs. I felt everyone was watching me.

“I didn’t argue when they said I could stay if I could stand because I’m not an argumentative person. It was the first time I’ve been in the pub, but I won’t go back.”

Mum Zakalin Sloly said: “When I saw the picture of Troy being carried down the stairs, his head bowed, I could tell he was absolutely mortified.

“They say it was for health and safety reasons, but I thought you can’t use a lift when there’s a fire.”

Staff at The Kings Head in Harborne apologised to Troy but stressed the action was taken in the best interests of Troy and his party

In a long Facebook response, pub manager Mr Perry said staff were unaware Troy had been taken upstairs by pals. But he added: “On behalf of the Kings Head, I would firstly like to apologise for any ill feeling felt by the disabled gentleman identified in the photograph. This was by no means intended.”

He said the action was taken to comply with health and safety practices. “To comply with the Equality Act 2010 we would offer the use of the ground floor to any person unable to utilise the Attic. It was also agreed the gentlemen and his party of between 20 to 30 would be allowed to carry on their night on the ground floor, which we would keep open past our normal midnight closing time, until they left which was at 1.45am on Sunday.

“We have liaised with our legal representatives Capita to ensure we have complied with current discriminatory legislation and also Health and Safety legislation.

“We are deeply sorry for any confusion caused and we aim to ensure all affected parties involved in this matter are treated with the utmost decency.”